Heather Briscoe, MD
Associate Professor
Pediatrics
School of Medicine

I am primarily a clinician educator based at the San Francisco General Hospital in Pediatrics. I have an interest in procedural education, and medical education in particular. In my former role as Interim Director of the Infant Care Center, I became particularly passionate about the interface of families impacted by Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and the newborn.

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We have racially disparate representation of families in our child welfare system, and newborn removals due to substance use is an important contributor to entries to foster care. We have an opportunity to review our practices and consider whether our policies are "baking in" factors that are biased. Social Determinants of Health are perhaps the most powerful influence, and the ones we are least equipped to influence in medicine. My current focus is on building relations with community based organizations and allies in our system of care to leverage existing resources in support of families.

Awards

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• Excellence In Teaching Award, UCSF Academy of Medical Educators, 2019
• Hearts Grant - Video Laryngoscope, ZSFG, 2017

Education & Training

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• Respectful Care of Pregnant and Birthing People (train the trainer) National Birth Equity Collaborative 12/2019
• Teaching Scholars Program UCSF 08/2018
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training University of California 2017
• General Pediatrics UCSF 06/2010
• MD UCSF 12/2005

Publications (6)

Top publication keywords:
Social StigmaInfant, NewbornEducational StatusPhysiciansIntensive Care Units, NeonatalChild WelfarePerinatal CarePregnancyEmotionsInfantFamilySubstance-Related DisordersPrenatal CareInfant, Very Low Birth WeightChild

• Patients, colleagues, systems, and self: Exploring layers of physician emotions in caring for pregnant people who use substances and their newborns.
  Journal of substance use and addiction treatment 2024 Martinez NG, Seidman DL, Briscoe H, Hayes CM, Ojukwu EI, Paltin D, Roberts SCM
• Facilitating Integrated Perinatal Care for Families Affected by Substance Use.
  Journal of addiction medicine 2022 Schmidt CN, Patel D, Alpers BS, Spaulding M, Ocegueda L, Thomas M, Sammann A, Briscoe H
• Disparities and Early Engagement Associated with the 18- to 36-Month High-Risk Infant Follow-Up Visit among Very Low Birthweight Infants in California.
  The Journal of pediatrics 2022 Lakshmanan A, Rogers EE, Lu T, Gray E, Vernon L, Briscoe H, Profit J, Jocson MAL, Hintz SR
• Do No Harm - Rebuilding Trust and Keeping Families Together
  Do No Harm - Rebuilding Trust and Keeping Families Together 2022 Heather Briscoe, MD, Snehal Murthy, MS, Simone Vais, MD
• Widespread Surveillance by the Child Protection System: Lasting Effects on Families.
  American journal of public health 2021 Schmidt CN, Stretten M, Briscoe H
• Mother & Baby Substance Exposure Toolkit; Best Practice #29- Develop a Dyad-centered Plan of Safe Care
  Mother & Baby Substance Exposure Toolkit; Best Practice #29- Develop a Dyad-centered Plan of Safe Care 2021 Heather Briscoe, Helen DuPlessis, Jacqueline Rad, Kelly Brandon, Mimi Leza